Missives from Samsara

Tomorrow is the start of Lunar New Year, celebrated by billions of people around the world. I know very little about the holiday and celebration, though I have picked up a few things from teaching, as I have always taught a large number of Vietnamese-American kids.

This year is the Year of the Fire Horse, not to be confused with the usual Year of the Horse. According to a description I found online, the Fire Horse “symbolizes speed and freedom…[and is] is associated with dramatic, chaotic, and revolutionary changes, favoring bold, fearless, and proactive decisions over cautious ones.” With AI, global climate change, rising authoratarianism, and America’s obvious decline, I’m a bit wary of ‘dramatic, chaotic, and revolutionary changes.’ Oh well, we’ll see.

I happened to be born in the Chinese Year of the Pig. As an American, that sounds pretty awful, but I poked around a bit and discovered that it isn’t as bad as it sounds! See description below from www.chinesenewyear.net

Well, the times they are a-changing. Just a quick note here about the news out of Chicago this week that the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls (NBA) and Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), is going to start selling beverages with THC. Apparently, they won’t be sold at the those games, though. Hearing this, I’m not sure what I think. Is it better than alcohol? Yes, probably; though I’ve never had a THC beverage so I have no idea how drinking it plays out in someone’s head. I assume they’d be a bit buzzed heading to the parking lot, especially if they have more than one. I saw that one of the arguments in favor of the move is that Americans are much more likely to properly dose themselves with a beverage, than say with a gummy. That makes sense to me. Americans have been self dosing alcohol by imbibing for our entire history. We’re used to medicating ourselves that way. What I wonder is how long it takes for the beverage to have an effect. The longer it takes, the more likely for mayhem on the roads. Then again, concerts take place every night all over America with stoned drivers heading home and that doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. Indeed, since they aren’t selling the beverages at the games (yet), I imagine concert will be the type of event that they will be available at.

Another thought I have about this is that it is a positive step away from alcohol and towards a more benign, though still powerful drug. Combine this with the related fact that Americans are consuming less and less alcohol and I can see why the United Center is making the decision (they are capitalists reacting to what the market wants) and why consumers might be looking for an alternative to $14 Bud Lights (ugh).

I am also curious to see if this catches on in freedom loving blue states where cannabis is legal (as it should be) and where grown ups get to decide for themselves how to relax at a sporting event or concert. Also, how long before they are available at the Bulls and Blackhawks games? Will those leauges, who are so averse to ticking off a part of their fan base, eventually come around. My guess is they big sports leagues will continue to resist, while the idea catches at arenas elsewhere.

Comcast was so unpopular they had rebrand as Xfinity 15 years ago. Well, Xfinity sucks just as bad Comcast. They are essentially a monopoly, and they act like it (with high prices, shitty customer service, because what are you going do about it??). Yesterday our internet was down for a good 9 hours. They said they were going to improve service. Once it was turned back on, it was slower than before. Today it went out again, and we got no heads up via text. Then, when I went to the app to deal with it, it wouldn’t let me sign in. I knew my password, but it still wouldn’t let me in. Then, of course, I tried to call them to get some help. Did I get a chance to talk to someone? Nope….No humans available.

The CEO of Comcast is a guy named Brian Roberts. He made approximately $34 million in 2024. That was a step down from 2023, when his total compenstaion was $35.5 million. He’s a billionaire, so these earnings are a mere pittance. Guess how he came to the CEO of Comcast? Yep, he’s a nepo baby. His daddy was the founder. He apparently owns ‘only’ 1% of the company via ownership stock, but he owns approximately 33% of the B shares (i.e., the voting shares). The top 3 Shareholders (by equity) are The Vanguard Group (~10%), BlackRock, Inc. (~8.8%), and State Street Corporation (~5%).

Oh, and Comcast also owns a controlling stake in NBC Universal. That means that a nepo baby who didn’t earn shit owns one of the biggest media companies in America, as well as the means of providing the media to your home or computer.

This is another example of someone with too much power, making tremendous amounts of money he merely has the privilege to be earning. Roberts inherited his company, and therefore his disgusting salary. And to be clear, the service they provide, especially their customer service, is shitty.

Funny side note: I just asked Google’s Nano Banana Pro to generate an image of people with pitchforks marching up to a castle named Comcast for my tiny little blog. It wouldn’t do it. Said it was a violation of their guidelines. I read the guidelines and think their explanation is a stretch. Anyway, Google’s got the back of their fellow corporoate overlords covered. Checks out.

OK, rant over.

It would be cool if we collected weird merit badges as adults. Imagine, finding the right Tupperware top for the container on the first try. That would earn you the Tupperware Matchmaker badge. Or, you successfully remember to cancel the trial subscription the day before they start charging you? You win a Free Trial Sniper badge. Other badges might include the Ikea Master badge for putting a piece of IKEA furniture together alone and without error (I’m still working on that one) or Social Battery Preserver badge for dipping from a party early wihout being rude.

That brings me to my recent travel experience. Travel, of course, has it’s perks–but also it’s dangers. I’m usually willing to take the risk. However, traveling to the east coast over the winter holidays is always quite risky. Recently we caught a connecting flight out of Dallas on our way to Connecticut. About 80% of the way there the pilot came on the intercom and announced we were being diverted to North Carolina, ETA 11:30 pm. The TL;DR is that we ended up sleeping in the B gate at the Charlotte airport and made it up north early the next morning. This was the third airport I’ve managed to be spend the night at and the first with the whole family. We survived…and I earned myself another Slept in Airport badge.